The concept of workheads such as hydraulic demolition shears that are mounted to the boom of a mobile power unit to cut chunks of scrap metal into smaller pieces are well known in the art. Typically, such demolition shears are used to cut items such as iron pipes, steel pipes, rods, sheets, plate, beams, and other structures. The hydraulic shear is both effective and efficient in cutting larger materials into smaller pieces. However, after the material is cut, the shear jaws are relatively inefficient and clumsy for picking up the smaller pieces and loading the cut materials onto a truck. Attempts have been made to make assemblies that contain both shear jaws and grapple jaws. Such assemblies often involve a sacrifice of performance of both the shear and the grapple. Preferably a grapple attachment should be used to pick up the smaller pieces. Since it is also expensive to have a separate vehicle with a grapple to load material, it would be advantageous if one could quickly attach a grapple to the jaws of a demolition shear so the operator of the power unit could then use the grapple to pick up material located on the ground.
The present invention provides a grapple attachment that can be quickly attached to to a workhead such as the jaws of a demolition shear to allow the operator to transfer the learned touch and feel of operating the workhead to operation of a grapple attachment.